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Credits

The Priest's Leap is properly the name of a rock at the top of the pass between Kenmare and Bantry. There are various versions of the story which account for the name. Seán Ó Súilleabháin reports that the most commonly accepted one relates how a Father James Archer SJ, in search of volunteers for the defence of the O'Sullivan Beara castle at Dunboy in 1602, was chased across the mountain by enemy soldiers. From the rock here, he is said to have jumped his horse onto a rock a mile from Bantry town. As you reach the road below, you meet an iron cross erected to commemorate the feat (Walk Guide - Southwest of Ireland, 28). The circumstances behind the pursuit of the priest are historical, though the fantastic leap recalls the superhuman feats of earlier eras by legendary characters such as Cú Chulainn and the Cailleach Bhéirre. Previously Cummeenshrule in MV. Also Knockboy West Top.
The Priests Leap is the 506th highest place in Ireland.Trackback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/413/?PHPSESSID=epo3ki23489tu1gibog78dpvt4

About as handy as it gets. Having been up and down Knockboy, I tacked on Priest's Leap as I had a bit of time to spare. The summit is just 800m from the road itself. Someone had recently cut and stacked turf a short way up the hillside leaving a very picturesque scene. A row of fence poles can be followed to close to the summit which is marked by a pool of water. The top is flat but the summit-proper appears to be an indistinct hump to one side of the pool. Following my recent run of luck, I was greeted at the summit by a yet another heavy shower of rain. Trackback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/413/comment/6473/